


Days Spent Thinking

by finnemoreshusband



Series: Transitions [5]
Category: Bill & Ted (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Kinda?, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 16:13:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19704895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finnemoreshusband/pseuds/finnemoreshusband
Summary: Another fic about young Bill and Ted. They have feelings and stuff.





	Days Spent Thinking

Ted walked to the beach with Bill at his side. The sun shined down and tickled their skin. Bill had the cropped shirt on that Ted had made him, and Ted carried towels and a cooler filled with soda.

It wasn’t a far walk, but with the heat it felt like twice the distance. Once their sandaled feet were on the sand, grains kicking up into the space between their toes, they both felt relieved even though they still had to find a spot among the daily beach-goers and the vacationers.

Ted rented an umbrella for the two of them while Bill laid out the towels and dug the cooler into the sand. For a while they just sat on their towels, watching the other swimmers dance around and get partially swept up in the waves.

“Do you wanna go in the water?” Ted asked, eyes squinting from the glare of the sun.

“I don’t know. I feel like everyone is looking at me.”

“Dude, if they’re looking at you, it’s because they can’t believe how awesome you are.”

Bill laughed. “Okay. But I don’t want to go too far out.”

“That’s okay.” Ted stood and helped Bill to his feet, and walked over to the water with Bill’s hand still in his own. They stopped when the water was up to their ankles, waving back and forth.

“Can we just, sit here?” Bill asked.

“Yeah, dude.”

They sat and stretched their legs out into the sea. It never really reached pass their knees, but it was comfortable all the same.

Ted laid back into the sand, while Bill stayed sitting upright watching the sun glint off the ever-rolling surface of the water. Ted looked over at the back of Bill’s head. “Bill, I can see your thinking face even though you’re looking that way. May I ask what you’re thinking about, my friend?”

Bill turned a little bit so he could lay down on his side between Ted.

“Just thinking. About stuff.”

“What stuff?”

“Our moms. Like, why mine left. And yours…”

“Oh. What made you think about this?”  
“I was wondering if maybe my mom knew… you know, about me. And that’s why she left.”

“That can’t be it.”

“You never met her, Ted.”

“I know. But you were just a baby. How would she have known?”

Bill looked at Ted, the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes from squinting, the smile on his face as he puts a hand behind his head so he can get a better look at Bill. And he thought maybe right then would be a good time to tell him.

But he didn’t.

Instead he rolls the top half of his body so that he’s laying flat and watching the clouds wisping across the sky. “I don’t know. Mothers’ intuition.”

“I don’t think so,” Ted said, reaching out and putting a hand on Bill’s arm. “But if you’re right, then she’s just missing out on your greatness.”

“Do you think about your mom?”

“Yeah, sometimes. When it gets close to the anniversary. You know my dad used to be way different.”

“I remember.”

“But when she died he, like, became a whole n’other person.”

“At least your mom liked me. I don’t think we’ll ever persuade your dad that I’m not… messed up, or something.”

“Don’t worry about him. He’ll either come around and love you like I do, or he’ll lose me too.”

Bill sat up and wrapped his hands around his knees. “I don’t want to be the reason your relationship with him is lost.”

“We barely have a relationship.” Ted sat up and moved so he was sitting right next to Bill, sides and legs touching. “He’s not worth losing you.”

Bill smiled but turned his head away so Ted wouldn’t see. Maybe one day he’d be able to let Ted see, but he just couldn’t right now. But what he could do was lay his head against Ted’s shoulder, and let him wrap an arm around his shoulders.

This closeness wasn’t awkward to either of them, having been friends so long, and taking on bullies and even teachers who questioned their relationship.

They sat like that for a few hours, just letting the waves wash over their feet, until the lifeguards blew their whistles and forced them back home. Ted followed Bill to his house, and didn’t even bother to call his own father to let him know he was staying at Bill’s tonight. Ted slept on the floor, snoring lightly, the sound of it pulling Bill into sleep as well.

Bill was seven years old, and his birthday was in two days. But his dad wanted to have his party on the weekend, to create a better opportunity for all the invited guests to attend. They were new to the area, having come to San Dimas for his dad to get a better job.

That morning Bill knocked on his dad’s door. “Dad! It’s time for my party!”

“I’m getting up,” his dad calls through the door.

“Hurry!”

His dad quickly got dressed and opened the door to his room. “Sweetheart, your party’s not til noon. It’s 7 a.m..”

His dad drove them to the store to pick up the cake he’d ordered for that day. And, just for good measure, let Bill pick out some candy and other treats to put in the goody bags.

At home he made them a late breakfast, not wanting to feed Bill too much in light of the cake and food for the party.

He made lemonade from a powder in a glass jug, putting it in the fridge to cool. He checked the freezer to be sure he had ice, just in case.

In a little while, it was just about time for the party to start, and Bill couldn’t decide if he wanted to wait at the decorated picnic table in the yard or stand peering through the screen door to wait for the arrival of his classmates.

It reached 12, and no one pulled into the driveway, or even parked on the street. Another ten minutes passed, and still no one approached the house.

At 12:15, Bill decided it was hopeless, and went back inside to sit next to his dad on their outdated sofa.

His dad patted him on the head and was about to tell him to wait it out a bit more when there was a light tapping on the screen door.

Bill and his dad got up to see who was there. Bill recognized the boy right away; they had class together. And the woman holding his hand smiled at both of them.

“Is this where the party is?”

“Yeah!” Bill said.

“I’m so sorry we’re late, but I misplaced my keys. Spent all morning trying to find them until my husband told me to just take his car.”

Bill let the other boy in, and they ran through the house and into the back yard.

“You’re Ted, right?” Bill asked, sitting next to him at the picnic table.

“Yeah. Wow, look at your cake! It’s huge!”

“We invited the whole class.”

“Oh,” Ted said, frowning at the cake. “Well, I wanted to come. You’re so quiet, I thought you could use a friend.”

“You wanna be friends?”

“Sure. I don’t have a lot of friends.”

“Dad!” Bill yelled, “Can we eat the cake first?”

“Sure thing,” his father said, relieved that at least one person bothered to show, “Let me light the candles.”

He took out his cigarette lighter and lit the eight candles on the chocolate frosted cake.

Bill blew out the candles with a big puff of air,

His dad, sitting across from them, asked, “Did you make a wish?”

Bill looked over to Ted, who was smiling at him, and said, “Yeah."

In the morning, Bill was already sitting up in his bed, thinking about what they might do that day.

He heard Ted rustle in his sleeping bag, and turn over onto his back. He probably wanted to sleep in, but Bill had other plans.

Bill jumped off the bed and onto Ted, tickling him to wake him up.

Ted woke with a start and laughing the rasp of sleep still in his voice.

“Bill, stop, it’s too early,” he said, but was still laughing.

“I don’t stop until you get up.”

Ted grabbed Bill’s arms to lock him in place and said, “I’m awake, I’m up. I’m up, okay?”

Bill let him up, and together they rolled up the sleeping bag and made Bill’s bed.

“Dude,” Bill said, “I want to ask you something.”

“What’s up?”

“Do you wanna go see your mom? I mean, with me? I know you usually go alone, but…”

“Bill, I think I like that idea.”

They nodded to each other and dressed for the day, Bill opting to wear his homemade shirt again.

“You gonna wear that shirt forever now?” Ted asked.

“I like it,” Bill said with a blush.

“I’m glad.”

They left the house, and saw Bill’s father on the way out.

“What are you boys up to today?”

“I’m taking Ted to visit his mom.”

“Ah. Here,” He went into his wallet and handed them a few dollars. “Bring her some flowers.”

Ted took the money with confusion on his face. “Thanks?” The man nodded and waved them away.

“Don’t question it,” Bill said as Ted stuffed the bills into his pocket. “He’s got a soft spot for you, since you were the first friend I made when we moved here.”

“Okay,” Ted said. “He is always very nice to me. Even when we get into trouble.”

The flower store was in the opposite direction from the cemetery, but neither of them minded.

“What should we get?” Ted asked, taking in the clippings, vases, and pots.

“No idea. I don’t know anything about flowers.”

“Roses? People always give roses, right?”

“I think that’s more for like… romantic stuff.”

A clerk in a white apron approached them. “Hello, my name is Lester. Can I help you young men?”

“Yeah,” Bill answered, “We’re looking for flowers to put on my friend’s mom’s grave.”

“I see. If you’ll look over here, we have a nice selection of pre-bunched bouquets.”

Ted saw a small bouquet of pink and white flowers.

“What are these?”

“Carnations. You would leave them for someone you’ll always remember.”

“I’ll take this.” Ted grabbed the bouquet and paid for them while Bill kept looking at the flowers. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah.” He let his fingers brush over the petals of a vase of roses as they left together.

Then they were off to the cemetery.

It was a half hour walk, and the flowers had begun to droop from the heat, but they made it there before they wilted completely. They stopped in front of Lucy’s grave, and Bill asked him, “Do you want a minute alone?”

“No. It feels… better. To have you here.”

Ted knelt down and put the flowers in front of his mother’s headstone. He stayed kneeling and hung his head. He glanced up at Bill, and then back down as Bill knelt next to him.

He thought he should say something to her, but he usually talked to her in the middle of the night, when he couldn’t sleep. Bill had caught him once, and let him continue without saying a word.

Ted reached out to touch her name, and let his hand linger over the depressions.

“I miss her so much,” Ted said, pulling his hand away.

Bill caught Ted’s hand before it reached the grass beneath them.

“I miss her too. She was so happy when we became friends.”

“She loved you,” Ted said with a laugh, but it came out choked between his tears. “She’d be so happy for you, Bill. Being out here and just living who you are.”

“I know. Do you wanna stay a while?”

“No. Let’s go.”

They stood and walked out of the cemetery.

“Are you staying over again?” Bill asked.

“I should probably go home. I feel bad leaving Deacon to deal with Dad alone.”

“Tell the little dude I said hi.”

Bill gave him a look, trying to tell him how he wished he could go with him.

“I will. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, tomorrow.”


End file.
